


Doctor...Q?

by TARDISprise



Category: Doctor Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Attempt at Humor, Crossover, Humor, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm trying, based off of DW episodes, just for fun, maybe a little romance for wesley, so many characters sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23028271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDISprise/pseuds/TARDISprise
Summary: Q is back, and this time he thinks there's only one person who can teach humanity what true goodness looks like.
Relationships: Beverly Crusher/Jean-Luc Picard, Deanna Troi/Rose Tyler, Nyssa of Traken/Wesley Crusher
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys! this fic is a huge crossover, so i ask any sci-fi fans to buckle in and enjoy! i'll probably update every 12 days or so? i hope to finish it before the school year ends. hope this is a fun fic for you all.
> 
> -heath

Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the USS Enterprise, stabbed the key on his door, storming into his quarters. It had been a long and hard day on the job, what with the whole business of the Ferengi and the mind control. The Ferengi had been furious with him for firing on their ship and killing their captain.

He strode to his replicator, clearing his throat and saying, “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” He slumped into his chair, rubbing his head, when a deep baritone voice said, “Ah, classic Picard.”

He shot upwards in his chair to see the grand figure of Q, leaning against his replicator and sipping his tea. He frowned and groaned, saying, “Q! I thought I told you to stay. Off. My. Ship.” He folded his arms, levelling his beady hazel eyes at Q.

“Ah, but Picard. The Ferengi were correct! You humans on the Enterprise are still so violent, so eager to destroy. You need to be taught peace.” He set his tea on the counter and leaned pensively against the wall. “But what to do? You stubborn humans refuse to play my games, don’t you, Picard.” The last word was almost a snarl, causing Picard to flinch.

“Quite right, Q. I don’t want to say it again. Leave my ship!” If he was being honest, Q scared him. The absolute power he held and loved to use against him and his crew was intimidating to say the least. And he was sure that Q knew how he felt, but he had to stay brave for his crew.

Q laughed, a mirthless cackle, and in an instant, the two were on the bridge, shocking the sparse night shift crew. Data stood immediately from the Captain’s chair, but Picard waved his hand.

“Sir, why is the entity known as Q on our bridge?” Data tried to process the information, and reached a theory. Q was omnipotent, and would not leave them alone until he could use his powers to get something he wanted.

“That’s a damn good question, Commander.” He turned to Q, who was looking around at the bridge in disdain.

“Picard. Where is your...motley crew?” Picard felt anger flaring and struggled to keep his cool. If there was one thing Q loved, it was seeing them get more and more agitated with him.

“They are taking a well deserved shift off, Q. Whatever you need to settle with our ship, you can settle through me.”

Q chuckled and leaned on the banister, glancing around at the night shift crew that were trying their hardest not to stare as they did their jobs. “Ah, but Picard. The more the merrier! It’s not as fun with just one of you.”

Picard stepped up to the looming figure and glared. “Leave. My crew. Alone.”

Q laughed again and stroked his chin. “I think I know who would make a perfect addition to our...gang.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And then McCoy says, ‘Live long and prosper!’” William Riker and Geordi LaForge burst into raucous laughter, tears streaming out of Riker’s eyes at his own punchline. Geordi gasped for breath, his hand on his chest.

“Oh man, Will, you really do have the best jokes on the ship.” Riker shrugged and leaned back in chair, yawning slightly. The shift off plus the mental tax of the chess game in front of him had made him realize just how tired he was. He relished time off with his officers, and the jokes he and Geordi had been exchanging had gotten more and more offensive as the night went on, although both knew that it was all just in jest.

Geordi examined the board in front of him. Most of his nights off consisted of studying tech, supervising new engineers or tackling new adventures with Data. Will wasn’t someone he hung out with often, but he enjoyed it just the same and made a mental note to do it more often. He slid a piece along the board and said, “I should have mate in three moves.”

Riker blinked and roamed his eyes over the board before saying, “I’m not gonna lie to you Geordi. I thought we gave up on the game.” Geordi laughed heartily and waved his hands.

“Alright Will, you get your way out of this one. But I will beat you in chess.” Riker flashed him a grin and stood, his back cracking as he stretched to the ceiling. He turned to Geordi to say something, when a bright light enveloped them both…

….and they found themselves on the bridge, in full uniform, with Data, Picard...and Q.

“Sir, what is he doing on our bridge?” Riker demanded, his voice quaking with anger.

“A very good question, Number One.” He turned to Q again, and said, “Stop toying with my crew. They don’t deserve whatever you have up your sleeve.”

Q beamed at Riker and Geordi, who was standing as stoic as he could. Q scared him, and he was determined not to show it. “Ah, William Riker, Geordi LaForge, welcome! I am your teacher, and I will be showing you humans how you can possibly try to fix your species.” He snapped his fingers, shifting before them into an English professor, complete with tweed jacket and glasses.

“Now, who does Mr. Q want in his class? I know.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deanna Troi was watching a fascinating documentary on telepathic species. Most of her friends had extended invitations to her to have drinks in Ten Forward or explore a holodeck, but Deanna knew that she needed a night to herself. She loved to further her scientific learning, as it had never been her strongest suit. And learning about species out there like her that she might one day encounter captivated her.

She of course had a chocolate sundae that she meticulously ate, savoring every single bite with as much relish as she could. She could not help but smile as the chocolate melted on her tongue, but it quickly turned to a frown.

Readings from the crew were all shifting into a jumble of nervousness and anxiety. She pursed her lips and set her sundae down. There was a familiar presence there….someone whose emotions were harder to read, and very shifty.

She couldn’t place why, but she felt uneasy about the presence. She grabbed her communicator from her table and said, “Troi to Bridge.”

 _“Ah, Counsellor Troi. A pleasure to hear from you.”_ Deanna’s stomach plummeted. It was Q, of course it was Q, who else could make her feel so uneasy? _“If you’ll please, we’re waiting on the bridge.”_ Deanna opened her mouth to say no, but was enveloped in a blinding light.

She found herself next to Riker on the bridge, somehow changed into her raspberry v-neck uniform. She patted her head and felt her headband in its place. Q was dressed as what looked like a school teacher. Besides Riker, she was surrounded by Picard, Data, and Geordi. She knew only Data had been scheduled for the night shift, and her unease grew. Q was of course blocking his emotions, and he smirked at her.

“None of that empathy today, my dear Dee chickadee.” He simpered into a fake frown and said, “Aw, your best friend isn’t here! Let’s change that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beverly Crusher felt sweat roll down her cheeks as she studied her son. He was dribbling towards her with fairly good footwork. Jack had done his best to teach him football, but his skills had nothing on hers. She felt bad that she had been too busy to play with them, but Wesley wasn’t too upset, and the two of them loved to play 1v1 on the holodeck whenever they could.

Her jersey was a replica of the 21st century Scottish football team. The tartan matched her medical uniform, as did the headband she used to pull her waves of red hair off of her face. Wesley had chosen the uniform of the USA after his father’s heritage, and was also sweating profusely. He was getting closer, and he shifted his dribbling foot.

Beverly knew what this meant, and she was right: Wesley pretended to trap, waiting for her to rocket past, but as she did, she snaked out her left foot and tapped the ball out from under his foot, causing him to stumble. The goal was soon scored, and she turned with a triumphant smile on her face. Wesley doubled over, breathing hard after trying to catch his mother.

Beverly ruffled his hair and said, “And that’s how it’s done.” Wesley pouted, and she laughed, grabbing a sip of water from a bottle on the sideline. “This time, I’ll promise to let you past the goal box.” She turned to jog down to the goal she was defending, but before she could reach it she felt and saw a white light surrounding her.

Wesley saw his mother disappear and yelled, “Mom!” No response, and he ran to the holodeck exit, panic filling his brain.

Beverly whirled around, the bridge full of senior officers...and Q. She realized how unprofessional she must look, but a glance down informed her she had been changed into her standard uniform, complete with lab coat and...tricorder? _That’s right, I left it in my pocket after examining Jean-Luc._ She glared at Q and said, “What do you think you’re doing here?” Q laughed at her, a laugh that she found infuriating.

“Ah, fiery as the hair. But it seems I have missed your son.” A snap of the fingers, and Wesley appeared beside her, now clad in the tight grey Ensign jumpsuit. She pulled him close to her, whispering, “Stay behind us. We’ll sort this out.” Wesley shook his head.

“Mom, I’m seventeen. I can handle Q.” Q grinned and snapped his fingers again.

“Seventeen, but you can never zip your uniform.” Beverly flushed red and Riker said, “Q, we are getting quite impatient with your games. You have the ship’s senior staff. Why are you here?”

"The Ferengi accused your captain of cruelty, as did I before your encounter at Farpoint all those stardates ago. But you puny humans still haven’t learned!”

Riker stepped forward and said, “Q, we have learned! Leave us alone before we-”

“Before you what? I'm tired of your antics.” He flung out his hand, and Riker and Data flew through the air. Just before they hit the wall, they disappeared in a burst of light.

Picard’s face turned red and he shouted, “Q! Stop this at once!” Q clicked his tongue and said, “Wow, it takes a lot of force to send them that far.” He smirked, and with a flick of the hand, Wesley was tossed through the air, again disappearing before he could slam into the wall.

“What have you done with my son?” Beverly cried, her fists clenched. Deanna put her hand on her arm.

“I don’t think he’s hurt, Beverly-” Her mind was pretty foggy, but knew instinctively that they hadn’t died. She had no readings from any of the "missing" anymore, but she was certain she would have felt something if they were seriously injured.

Beverly cut her off and demanded, “Where is he?”

Q’s smile disappeared and he said, “A place far from here. I hope he survives.” Beverly looked like she was about to bean him over the head with her tricorder, and Q stuck out his hand. She, Geordi and Deanna went flying, succumbing to the same burst of light.

Picard stood alone once again, and he opened his mouth, but Q held up his hand and he found he could not speak. His hands flew to his throat, but no noise came out. Q snapped his fingers for the last time, and Worf appeared in the Captain’s chair. “Do watch over this ship. While Klingons have learned the disciplines of honor, it seems humanity still needs a lesson. And your Captain has somewhere to be.”

Picard found his voice back just as he spat out a nasty swear in French, and the last thing he saw was Q flinging out his hands, before he felt himself pinwheel backward, a burst of white light filling his head completely.


	2. Data and the Fourth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i took so long to update! i hope this next chapter is to your liking!
> 
> -heath

Data felt like he was spiralling through space. He could not determine which direction was which, as everything in front of him was moving faster than he could process it. It appeared to be a blur of stars, but the stars looked like they were being tugged through the air, with streaks of white. Data tried to move, but found that his velocity was too high to do so. A high pitched whistling noise started, and then suddenly, a white light bloomed so unbelievably bright that Data thought his receptors would get singed, and he shut his eyes. He could still sense the light through his eyelids.

Suddenly, the whistling noise stopped. The bright light was slowly receding, but Data decided to keep his eyes closed. He determined that he was lying on a hard surface, flat on his back. He started to run a system diagnostics check, to make sure that he had survived...whatever kind of journey he had just been subject to.

Sarah Jane Smith was leaning against the console when the TARDIS shook. She was tossed to the floor, and when she tried to stagger up, the floor was shaking too much for her to find footing, and she stayed on the ground as her friend, the Doctor, clung to the console, desperately flipping switches. His scarf swayed as he darted to different sides of the hexagonal panels, his hat slipping off his head. A boom accompanied by a large shake and burst of white light made her cover her eyes, letting out a scream.

The light faded, and the Doctor wiped his brow, glancing over his console. Sarah Jane brushed her hair out of her face and stood, letting out a gasp. Lying on the floor of the TARDIS, near the doors, was a silver man. He was in some kind of black and yellow jumpsuit, with a triangular badge and circular pins.

“Doctor? Who is that?” she whispered, nudging him.    
  


“Hm?” The Doctor raised his eyebrows before noticing the man and he grinned. “Ah, it seems we have a visitor.” He strode over to the man and knelt next to him, examining his skin. “Interesting color. Seems human enough, but maybe he’s of another humanoid race.”

Sarah Jane determined that the man was safe to approach, and her curiosity seized her, causing her to dart to the Doctor’s side. The man was tall, and his skin seemed to be silver and gold at once, giving off a dim glow. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, causing the pair to jump back. Sarah Jane saw that his pupils were yellow and let out a cry of surprise, peering at him more intensely.

Data stood, and before he registered his surroundings he decided to try and find his crew. “Data to Picard.” After the chirping noise was met with nothing, he turned towards the humans that he had seen in his peripheral vision, after determining they were no threat. There was a fairly tall man in a reddish coat, pants, and boots, with a long scarf of many colors trailing down and pooling around his feet. 

He was grinning at Data, which Data decided was an act of peace. The girl next to him looked young, maybe a little older than Wesley. The bright yellow of her coat and pants matched Data’s uniform, and she had short, wavy black hair. He said, “Greetings. I am Lieutenant Commander Data of the starship USS Enterprise. Please identify yourself.”

“Well, I’m the Doctor, this is Sarah Jane.” Data ran the names through the database. Nothing. No medical staff in Starfleet, no alien leader, no ruler of any known inhabited planets went by the moniker “The Doctor.” He decided that he was on another vessel, maybe a nomadic one. Possibly in an unexplored quadrant.

“You said your name was Data?” said Sarah Jane. 

“Correct.”

“That’s an interesting name.” Sarah Jane was slightly shaken, but the man had a somewhat soothing quality in his voice. She had thought no one could get in the TARDIS, and she still half expected the man to act violently, but he seemed...lost, and a bit too formal to be a soldier.

“I am an android.”

“An android?!” exclaimed the Doctor, his grin getting bigger. “Fascinating! I love androids.” Data did not know how to process this, and decided to examine the ship he was in. It was mostly a small white room, with circles cut out of the walls. He strode over to a large hexagonal console in the middle. Buttons, levers, and a wide glass column seemed to be the extent of the controls. Data was baffled as to how it was possibly flown. He concluded that they were probably humans from a primitive colony, although the man was familiar with androids.

The Doctor and Sarah Jane exchanged glances, and the Doctor spoke up, saying, “Well, Data, how did you get in my TARDIS?”

Data tilted his head. “TARDIS?”

The Doctor cracked a grin again and said, “Time and Relative Dimension in Space. Don’t worry about it.” He clapped his hands together and flashed a reassuring smile at Sarah Jane, who’s worry was starting to ease away. “Now then, Data, how did you end up on my ship? And what planet are you from?” Data turned. He was not inclined to give his identity to strangers. However, he was stranded. His communicator was not working, Q was nowhere to be seen, and this man had a ship that could potentially take him back. He did not understand how the ship could be its own dimension, but he decided that that wasn’t important.

The Doctor, while Data was pondering, had slid over some chairs and indicated that he should sit. He sat close to the girl Sarah Jane, who was peering at his skin with wonder. “Jelly Baby?” The Doctor offered, brandishing a white paper bag. 

Data was perplexed, and after a moment said, “Ah. Jelly Babies. A type of soft sugar jelly sweet, shaped as plump [babies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant) in a variety of colours. They were first manufactured in [Lancashire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancashire), England, in the 19th century. Their popularity waned in England before being revived by [Bassett's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassett%27s) of [Sheffield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheffield), Yorkshire, who were responsible for mass producing Jelly Babies from 1918. They are the most noted Terran manufacturer of Jelly Babies, and allocated individual names, shape, colour and flavour to different 'babies': Brilliant, which is red and strawberry, Bubbles, which is yellow and lemon, Baby Bonny, which is pink and raspberry, Boofuls, which is green and lime, Bigheart, which is purple and blackcurrant, and Bumper, which is orange. The introduction of different shapes and names was an innovation, circa 1989, prior to which all colours of jelly baby were a uniform shape. In the twenty-first century, Bassett's jelly babies changed to include only natural colours and ingredients. A line of sweets called Jellyatrics were launched by Barnack Confectionery Ltd to commemorate the Jelly Baby's 80th Birthday in March 1999. Like most other [gummy sweets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gummi_candy), they contain [gelatin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin).”

Sarah Jane cleared her throat and said, “Do you know everything?” The android in front of her had changed from scary to intimidating to fascinating. She had abandoned her caution and now wanted to learn about this machine.

“While I am not omniscient, I have access to all the data that has been uploaded by Starfleet and Noonien Soong.”

The Doctor leaned back in his chair. For once, he found himself truly puzzled. Of all the species he knew that had made androids, none of them were this sophisticated. Data seemed to be a truly proficient machine, and “Starfleet” did not ring a bell. He popped a Jelly Baby in his mouth and said, “Noonien Soong? Your creator?” Data nodded, and the Doctor swallowed his Jelly Baby. Another unknown name. “Positronic brain?” Data nodded again, and the Doctor whistled.

“Not many species have accomplished that, and the ones that have don’t nearly compare to you. Where were you designed?”

“My place of origin is Omicron Theta.” The Doctor frowned. Another familiar name. He was starting to feel uneasy about their visitor. “Is Noonien Soong….a human?” Data nodded another time, and the Doctor knew.  _ Alternate universe. Probably the transference into the TARDIS caused us to crash. _ “Well Data, it seems we have much to explore!” He jumped up, and Sarah Jane followed, a smile on her face.

“Explore? I need to return to my ship. Q sent me away, and as Lieutenant Commander, it is my job to return to command as soon as possible. What type of engines do you have?” The Doctor turned to see Data stand, and said, “Well, basically, the Eye of Harmony, which is a black hole we created, powers the TARDIS with artron energy. Of course I also need mercury, Zeiton 7, thrachoid time crystals..and it’s connected to my life force.”

“Error. Zeiton 7-non-existent chemical. Error. Artron energy. Non-existent.”

Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor with a panicked look and said, “What did you do?” She slowly approached Data and placed her hand on his arm. He cocked his head and blinked before saying, “I am functioning normally again. We must return to the Enterprise.”

The Doctor shook his head. “Listen, Data, I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to get here. When you arrived, we crashed, so I say that you look around for some clues while I repair the TARDIS.”

Data pondered, before finally nodding. “Who will lead the away team?” The Doctor dropped his Jelly Babies on the chair and said, “Sarah Jane, of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It appears that the dimensions of the outside are smaller than the dimensions of the inside. According to all known laws of physics, this should not be possible.” Sarah Jane watched with a smile as the newest addition to the TARDIS surveyed the box from all sides. She was still somewhat uncomfortable with it, but she could not help but laugh as Data cocked his head sideways, then righted it, scanning the wall, before cocking his head again. 

She thought hard ans said, “Perks of being dimensionally trans...cendental.” Data shook his head as if to clear it, and the two examined the world around them. Data realized he was without his tricorder, and rattled off what information he could tell about their surroundings with just his system. Based off of the chemical makeup, he determined they must be on Earth.

“But it’s...so empty!” Sarah Jane said. Data was in agreement. Based off how much Earth colonization had grown into the 24th century, there should be some signs of life. Sarah Jane turned to him and said, “Let’s explore that way.” The two picked their way along the rocks and started to cross a grassy field, silence falling between them. Data could not think of any more questions that would assist him, and without the Doctor there, Sarah Jane didn’t think that she could speak to him and understand him fully. And what would she say?

The two continued on in thick silence, when there was a crumbling sound, and Data tumbled down into a crevasse. “Oh, Data! Are you alright?” Data tried to stand in the crevasse and stumbled slightly. He grabbed the rock wall for support and looked up at Sarah Jane’s face, peeking over the edge. “I will run a system diagnostics, but I believe I am in perfectly fine condition.” He looked at the walls and remarked, “The walls have an angle steeper than 45 degress. I cannot, even with my physical prowess, scale this face.” 

Sarah Jane nodded and said, “The Doctor probably has something in the TARDIS. I’ll be back in a jiffy.” She disappeared, and Data said to himself, “A jiffy? What is a jiffy?” 

Sarah Jane made her way back to the TARDIS, muttering to herself. “An android who falls in a hole? Seriously?” She found the TARDIS and pushed open the doors. Nothing. “Doctor?” she called. No response. She looked around briefly, but decided that he must have wandered off. Typical. She knew she had to find him, and she left the TARDIS, pursing her lips.

She chose the opposite direction from where she and Data had gone, reaching the conclusion that he would have seen them on the viewer and explored the other way. She picked her way over the rough terrain, wondering what kind of planet they could possibly be on, devoid of life. She then heard voices, and slowed her pace, peeking around a rock. There was a camp!

Sitting in the middle of the camp, talking with some people, was the Doctor. She slowly approached, and when the people saw her, they jumped back in surprise. “Ah, Sarah Jane, it’s alright.”

“Is she an accomplice of yours?” said one of the men, while the other man grabbed her arm. She protested and was soon dragged to where the Doctor was tied up. “You see, Sarah Jane, they don’t believe that Nerva exists. They also say that a robot is kidnapping their men. I’ve tried to tell them it’s not under my control, but they don’t want to believe me.” Sarah Jane said, “Please, we’re just exploring. We would never kidnap your people!”

“What did the robot look like?” the Doctor asked, and one of the astronauts said, “We’ve only had fleeting glances. He is silver, and strong, and has a very metallic voice.” The Doctor and Sarah Jane exchanged worried glances. The robot fit almost perfectly the explanation of Data. The Doctor was quite puzzled.

He didn’t want to believe it, but what if Data was really the one behind it? What if he had lured them there somehow? The description didn’t fit Data exactly, but it was close enough, especially from distressed men missing their crew. But when Data had woken up...he had seemed insistent on getting back to the ship. And why would he plant himself in the TARDIS like that?

Data could hear voices from the other side of the rock. He recognized the voice of the Doctor, and some others. Getting out of the crevasse had been tricky, and Sarah Jane and the Doctor had never returned. He set his phaser to stun, just in case the Doctor had been captured. He stepped around the corner, seeing three men with the Doctor.

“Doctor, I have some peculiar findings about this planet I believe you would want to observe.” All their heads turned, and Sarah Jane looked uneasy, the Doctor looked intrigued, and the rest of the men had looks of anger on their faces, which confused Data. “It’s him! The robot!” yelled one of the men. Data opened his mouth to correct them, he was actually an android, but one of the men yelled in anger, and the Doctor cried, “Run!” as the men charged towards him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this will seem weird. But I figured, why not write all wibbly wobbly timey wimey? Every TNG character will meet their Doctor, and then I promise I will circle back and finish everyone's story.

“Doctor, you never pay as much attention to me as you do to the two girls! It’s unfair, I feel-” Adric was cut off by a grand shaking, the TARDIS lurching as the Doctor clutched the console, his cream colored jacket flapping wildly. In the corner, Nyssa of Traken and Tegan Jovanka braced themselves against the wall. This wasn’t the first time the Doctor had lost control of the TARDIS. Adric clung on to the console as well, trying to help, but the Doctor shook his head.

“Be careful, Adric!” Tegan yelled as Adric stumbled for something to hold on to. All at once, there was a final searing jolt, and everyone was thrown to the ground. The Doctor was the first to pop up, and his brow was furrowed as he inspected the slightly smoking console. He only snapped out of his tech muttering when Nyssa said, “Doctor…” in a tone that he knew could not be good.

He turned, and his eyebrows raised as he saw a boy on the floor of the TARDIS. Nyssa was kneeling next to him, trying to see if he was breathing. Tegan looked a little scared, standing behind Nyssa, but she was still concerned. Adric, still slightly peeved, was standing further away, looking at the boy with some curiosity. “Doctor, is  _ he  _ the reason the TARDIS was going crazy?” Tegan asked.

The Doctor clapped her on the shoulder and said, “Let’s find out.” He kneeled next to Nyssa, who shifted to the side to let him look. He looked to be about Nyssa’s age, his hair sleeked into a quiff and his face dotted with a few freckles. He was dressed in a monochrome grey jumpsuit, with lining on the waist.

Something gold caught the Doctor’s eye, and he stretched out his hand to take a small, arrow-like badge off of the boy’s chest. He looked at the badge and a wave of memories came.  _ Data. The android. USS Enterprise. Starfleet. E Space.  _ He put the badge carefully back on the boy’s chest and said, “I believe he is the cause for the TARDIS crash.” His companions all stepped back, and Tegan said, “Who is he, Doctor?” Nyssa said, “He’s just a boy, how could he?” 

The Doctor waved his hands and said, “I don’t think it’s actually his fault. I...met someone like him. He talked about some entity named Q...and he’s from another universe, which we call E space. I think that the power needed to send him here was what caused the crash, but I don’t know why he’s here.” 

Adric finally spoke up. “Well, you met that other man and he’s not here now. Can you send him back?” The Doctor nodded slowly. “I can, Adric, but another universe is no easy feat. I would need to fix the TARDIS first, and I would like to see where we’ve crashed...and see if my theory about him is correct.”

Wesley Crusher felt darkness surrounding him. He was lying on a hard surface. He had bleary memories...Q on the bridge, falling through stars...He tried to open his eyes, but they felt heavy, and he kept them closed. He had no idea where he was, and he was scared. 

He had never faced Q like this, and according to stories from Picard and his mother, Q could put him anywhere he wished...He managed to open his eyes a crack and saw no one right away, so he closed them and swallowed dryly before stretching his hand to tap his communicator.

“Acting Ensign Crusher to Mo--Doctor Crusher.” There was no response, and Wesley felt a wave of fear wash over him. He forced himself to take a deep breath and tapped it again, saying “Acting Ensign Crusher to Commander Riker.” No response. 

He thought,  _ What would Picard do? He’d survey his situation. He’d find out what was going on. He’d yell at Q. _ Wesley cracked a smile at that last thought and forced his eyes open. He was met with harsh white light, and he blinked a few times, his vision clearing.

He cleared his throat seeing a blond man with...celery on his coat? He was kneeling next to a really pretty girl in a purple pantsuit with curly hair. He blushed a little, and saw behind them some kind of console, surrounded by walls with circles in them. A boy about his age with a yellow shirt and blue star badge and a woman with a lavender skirt suit stood next to the console. Before he could say anything, the blond man said, “Your badge won’t work, unfortunately.” Wesley blinked and the girl moved closer to him. “Are you okay?” 

Wesley swallowed hard and said, “I think so. Who are you? How did you know about the badge?” The blond man held out his hand, and Wesley let him pull him up. “I’m the Doctor. This is Nyssa, Adric, and Tegan.” He indicated the girl, boy, and woman in order. Wesley nodded and couldn’t help his curious nature from taking over. 

The Doctor and the girl...Nyssa, it was, made him feel comforted. He looked over the console and said, “How did you know about my badge? What class ship do you have? Did you see Q? Can you contact other ships? Can you find the Enterprise?” The Doctor smiled at the boy, who’s mouth flew almost as fast as his. Tegan softened a little, seeing how innocent the boy truly was.

Adric, however, was still uneasy. The boy seemed knowledgeable about space. Adric couldn’t help but feel some jealousy. By his age, the boy had probably seen the stars and traveled. Adric had been stuck on Alzarius his whole life and probably would be still if not for the Doctor.   
  


The Doctor said, “I don’t know what class our ship is, or who Q is. Can’t quite contact any old ship, I’m afraid. And the Enterprise…” The Doctor trailed off, and Wesley noticed how wary he looked. “Please, Doctor, I need to get back to the ship. How do you know about it? Did Q put you up to this?” The Doctor shook his head. “I swear, I don’t know this Q. I...met a friend of yours.” 

The Doctor could hear the golden android in his head as he repeated, “Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise. I managed to take him back, but it was terribly hard work. I’m not sure if I can return you as well. We’re in another universe entirely from yours, uh...”

“Wesley Crusher. I’m an Acting Ensign on the Enterprise. You saw Data?” The Doctor nodded, his eyes sad. “I’m sorry, Wesley. I sent him back. I don’t know if I can again. I can try, but I need to fix the TARDIS first.” Wesley was upset. He wanted to get back to the Enterprise, see his mom and Data and Geordi...and this man claimed he could, but then he couldn’t. He reminded himself again what Picard would do. The man was friendly, so the captain would try to get back to his ship. And if there was anything Wesley could do, it was fix a ship.

“I can help fix your ship.” The Doctor smiled and said, “Splendid. Tegan, Nyssa, how about you see where we’ve landed. Be careful! Don’t go too far. Adric and Wesley will help me fix the TARDIS.” Nyssa and Tegan nodded and left, whispering amongst themselves. The Doctor kneeled and popped open a still slightly smoking hatch. “Of course, it’s the dematerialization circuit,” The Doctor muttered to himself. Wesley noticed behind it a frayed and damaged circuit. He popped it out carefully, and Adric said, “What are you doing?” He didn’t like Wesley placing his hands on the TARDIS.

The Doctor glanced up and said, “Ah, the chameleon circuit. Good luck.” Wesley said, “It seems simple, you should just need to reconnect these diodes through the adhesive copper.” The Doctor said, “Tried that. I’m afraid it just doesn’t like my TARDIS.” 

“What about interconnecting the lingual pathways with a new fusion code?” Adric shook his head and said, “I tried that one. It just doesn’t work.” Wesley frowned and looked at it again. “What about…” he trailed off as he started to work the circuitry. The wires to him were like small toys. It was easy, and he could see the finished circuit in his head as he worked, his fingers flying. He held up the finished product.

The Doctor wasn’t watching, fully enveloped in working on the other circuit, but Adric was watching him with a smirk. He slotted the circuit back where he found it, and a small whooshing noise sounded. The Doctor looked up sharply. “How did you do that?” Wesley was about to explain when they heard shouting outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the Doctor sent them to explore, Tegan and Nyssa found themselves in a system of caves. The walls were pretty boring, just brown and grey stone. They picked the leftmost tunnel to go down, and Nyssa remarked, “Tegan, do you think these caves have to do with Wesley?” Tegan shrugged and ran her hand over the stone. “I don’t know. What did the Doctor say? Wesley was from another universe?”

Nyssa nodded. “E Space. I’ve heard about it. I was surprised to hear the Doctor had been there once before, and that he had managed to come back.” Tegan, somewhat baffled still by the young girl’s scientific knowledge, said, “Why?” Nyssa said, “E Space is another universe. There’s some sort of rift that can go between them, but it’s incredibly taxing on the TARDIS and no other ship can travel through time and space like that.” 

Tegan said, “So then how did Wesley get here? No offense to him, but he doesn’t seem like the type that’s able to travel through time and space. How did he get in the TARDIS?” Nyssa smiled and patted Tegan. “I don’t know, Tegan. The Doctor will tell us, I’m sure. But he seems...sad.”

Tegan agreed. When the Doctor had mentioned that Data person, his eyes had clouded over. He said he had returned Data to the...E space or whatever, but what if he hadn’t? Or what if he missed Data? Tegan was snapped out of her thoughts by Nyssa, who said, “Tegan, come look at this fossil!”

Tegan knelt down next to Nyssa and said, “The dinosaurs. Mightest on Earth!” Nyssa laughed, and the two moved on, turning a corner on the branch they had taken. A few turns later, and they were approaching a large room. They were about to enter when a man lept from another passageway, pointing a gun at the two of them. “Freeze!” he yelled. Nyssa screamed and threw her hands up. Tegan swallowed and put her hands up as well.  _ Brave heart, Tegan. _ A woman came out from behind him and said, “Where are they? Why did you kill them?” 

Tegan frowned and stepped in front of Nyssa. “We...we haven’t killed anybody! We just arrived here. Honestly!” The woman and man exchanged glances, and the woman shook her head. The man grabbed her arm and started to tug her along. She shook him off and said, “I can walk by myself.” She gave a reassuring look to Nyssa as the two of them followed the man around a few more bends. 

As they rounded another corner, Tegan and Nyssa gasped. On the floor of another circular cave were three bodies. The woman said to them, “You killed them, didn’t you?” Nyssa said, “No! Please, let us go, we’re just...travelling.” Tegan swallowed and was about to speak when an explosion went off. She dove to the ground, looking around. The woman was cowering behind a rock, Nyssa was on the ground, but she looked like she had been shoved, and the man was standing above them, firing at something. Tegan turned to see...a thing, it looked human, but it’s face was sleek, smooth and black, with no facial expressions.

It fired at the man again, who darted to the side, and then disappeared behind the rock as the man returned fire. Tegan nodded at Nyssa, and the two scrambled up, Nyssa screaming again as a shot hit the cave wall right next to them. They sprinted down the passages, and after a few seconds heard footsteps pursuing them. They stumbled into the cavern where the TARDIS was--only to see it had disappeared.

“What?” Tegan cried. “No, no, it was here, the Doctor wouldn’t leave…” She yelled, “Doctor! Please!” She looked over her shoulder, but couldn’t see anyone yet. Nyssa was looking around, dumbfounded, when a piece of rock slid aside and the Doctor beckoned them inside the TARDIS.

Tegan doubled over, catching her breath, and she managed to gasp out, “Doctor. Never do that again.” Nyssa nodded her agreement, and she said, “Doctor, there are two people out there that said we killed their friends. And there was this...black robot thing that shot at them...at us!” She was scared, but she knew that somehow, the Doctor could fix it.

The Doctor said, “Oh dear. Looks like we have to investigate.” Adric and Nyssa smiled, the familiar thrill of starting a new adventure starting to take hold. Tegan, however, glanced over at Wesley. He was sitting with his back against the console, fiddling with his badge as he watched them. “Doctor…” she said through her teeth, nodding slightly in Wesley’s direction.

The Doctor looked over and smiled sadly at Tegan. He knelt by Wesley and said, “How are you holding up, Wesley?” Wesley shrugged, and the Doctor said, “I’m sorry Wesley, but there are dead people out there. Can you come with us for just a little bit? I’m sure your technological knowledge could be of great help to us.” Nyssa approached the two and knelt as well.

“Wesley, adventures with the Doctor are quite fun.” Wesley looked at her, a small blush creeping over his cheeks. “I just...I was thrown into a new universe, and I barely know you, and I miss my mom...I don’t know if she’s safe with Q…” Nyssa took his hand, and he felt tingles all over his skin. “Wesley, I was scared when I first met the Doctor. But he’s the best man in the world. I know he’ll get you home after he helps these people. That’s what he does.”

Wesley smiled slightly and muttered, “My mom’s a doctor.” “Ah!” The Doctor cried. “I’m sure she’s a fine woman. Wesley Crusher, I promise I will try my hardest to return you. But it sounds like there are problems where we’ve landed, and I should help them.”

Wesley nodded, and allowed Nyssa to help pull him up. He smiled at her and affixed his badge to his chest. He was still somewhat nervous, but the Doctor was his best shot at returning home.

The five of them stepped into the cave, and the Doctor led the way, Tegan and Nyssa falling close behind. Wesley found himself walking with Adric, who was giving him a somewhat cold look. The two walked in uncomfortable silence before Wesley said, “Are you okay? I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Adric looked sad for a few moments, before saying, “Have you traveled in space a lot?” Wesley said, “Yeah, loads. My mom’s the Chief Medical Officer on the flagship for the Federation, and my dad was an officer on a ship too. I want to be in command of a ship one day.” Adric sighed and said, “If not for the Doctor, I probably would never have left my home planet.”

Wesley looked at the man in front of them and said, “Why is he called the Doctor? Doctor who?” Adric laughed and said, “We don’t know, Wesley. But he’s the best man I’ve ever met.” Wesley looked over at him, and he seemed somewhat sad. Wesley said, “Then why are you sad?” Adric shrugged and said, “I guess I just sometimes feel like he doesn’t appreciate me.” 

Wesley felt a pang of sadness that resonated with him. He had been used to being overlooked and ignored by Captain Picard for more than a year. The man had come around somewhat, and he had the full trust of Geordi and Data, but Picard and his own mom doubted him sometimes. He knew exactly what Adric was feeling. “I know what that’s like. I can tell you’re super smart. You talked about tech like my friend Geordi, and he’s the smartest man I know.” 

Adric smiled and ran a finger over his star badge. “Mathematical excellence,” he murmured. He glanced over at Wesley and eyed his badge, saying, “And you?” Wesley glanced down at his badge and smirked. “It’s only a communicator. Useless right now, though.” Adric nodded, and the two lapsed into silence again until a man with a gun stepped out into the passage ahead of them. 

Wesley winced and stepped back, but the Doctor said, “Please! Lower your weapons. We didn’t kill your friend.” The man looked suspicious, and a woman stepped out saying, “Don’t believe him, Scott.” The man looked between the two and the Doctor said, “Please, I only want to help. I heard you were attacked? Show me where.” He pushed past Scott and the woman, and Scott lowered his gun, baffled. The companions followed behind him to the cavern where the dead people lay.

The Doctor surveyed the scene and saw a metal hatch in the wall. “Ah. Probably something important, hmm?” He started over to the hatch when the androids popped up and fired. The Doctor dove behind a rock, waving his hands desperately. His companions took the hint and all dove for cover as well. Crouching behind the rock, the Doctor said, “Seems that the hatch has some guards.” Wesley furrowed his brow, thinking of something Data had been teaching him about group combat. He leaned over to the man with the gun. He whispered, “Fire on the right hand android when I move.” The man looked at him dubiously, and Wesley jumped out from behind the rock. “Hey! I’m trying to get to the hatch!” “Wesley!!” The Doctor and Nyssa yelled in unison. The Doctor reached up and yanked him down, but his plan had worked. The androids turned to fire on where he was, allowing Scott to fire on them from the side.

Both of their heads blew clean off, wires inside sparking and fizzing. The Doctor looked at Wesley and said, “Never do something dangerous like that again.” Wesley nodded, biting his lip, and the Doctor strode over to the hatch. Nyssa and Tegan crowded behind him, and after some grunting and groaning, the Doctor tugged the hatch open.

Sitting inside was a bomb. Tegan shrieked and jumped back. The Doctor said, “Oh dear.” He examined the bomb and said, “I need help with this.” Adric and Wesley both came over and looked on as the Doctor carefully popped the casing off the top. As he did so, the red numbers started to tick down slightly faster. “Doctor, we’re going to blow up!”

“Brave heart, Tegan.” Tegan nodded, not quite believing it. She clutched Nyssa’s hand as the Doctor continued to probe. “Doctor, you should disconnect these cables here without disturbing the detonator.” Wesley balked at Adric’s words. “No, you should carefully splice the fuse. It can’t do anything without the fuse.” “No, Wesley, you have to disconnect the cables.” “Doctor, Adric’s wrong. You should splice the fuse!”

Adric snatched the bomb and said, “How do you know? How can we trust you?” Wesley felt ashamed, red burning his cheeks. “I was the one who fixed the circuitry on the ship.” He snatched the bomb back as Adric yelled, “But you’re wrong!” 

Wesley was about to say something more when the Doctor yelled, “Enough! This bomb is about to go off and you two are squabbling like schoolboys!” He grabbed the bomb from Wesley and set about carefully disconnecting the detonator. He looked up at the two boys, both of whom had heaving chests, glaring at the other. “I’d still like some help, please.”

The boys moved eagerly, and the Doctor waved to Wesley. “Wesley.” He felt bad, but in the end, he knew that it was the right thing. For starters, making Wesley feel trusted would make him more likely to trust him. And while he adored Adric, Wesley had simply shown higher technological prowess. Wesley looked over the bomb.

He wiped sweat off his brow, desperately trying to avoid the numbers ticking down. He glanced up and saw Nyssa comforting Adric, Tegan and the two other adults looking at them, worried. He couldn’t die there. He wouldn’t. He had to live to see his mom and the Enterprise again. His fingers danced among the cables, his hands working in tandem with the Doctor.

Suddenly, the numbers disappeared altogether. The Doctor broke into a smile, and seeing this, Wesley smiled as well. “Excellent work, Wesley. How did you manage that so fast?” Wesley shrugged and said, “It’s a basic detonation mechanism. One of the things Geordi showed me.” Mentioning his mentor made him realize all over again how far he was from home, and he felt his heart ache with sadness. The Doctor saw this and put his hands on Wesley’s shoulders.

“Wesley,” he said softly, “You’re brilliant. And I will get you back to your mother and your ship.” Wesley nodded and the Doctor grabbed the now disabled bomb. “Now, this is emitting a signal. Let’s follow it, hmm? Maybe we can find who really killed your fellows.” The Doctor tossed the bomb up and caught it, walking back to the TARDIS. Wesley sighed slightly. The more he ran around with this man, the longer it would take to get back home. But as Wesley followed everyone to the TARDIS, he had to admit: he was enjoying the adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well now. Let's see who awaits 7...

**Author's Note:**

> ah, starting with a cliffhanger...sorry not sorry :P


End file.
